Athlon Midas G2 UHD 8x42 vs Athlon Midas G2 UHD 10x42
Quick take: The Athlon Midas G2 UHD 8x42 costs $12 less; the Athlon Midas G2 UHD 10x42 reaches farther (10x vs 8x); the Athlon Midas G2 UHD 8x42 has a wider field of view (426 vs 341 ft @ 1000 yds).
Field of view, to scale
Top-down view · drawn to true scale — no exaggeration
Which one to buy
Only one thing on the Athlon Midas G2 UHD 10x42 is a straight upgrade over its 8x42 sibling: a locking diopter, which fixes the bump-prone adjuster 8x42 owners complain about. Everything else is the usual 8x-versus-10x trade, at $12 apart and the same 23.3 oz.
The Athlon Midas G2 UHD 8x42 is the one birders rave about. Its 426 ft field is among the widest of any 8x42, its 6.5 ft close focus handles butterflies, and 17.2mm of eye relief lets most glasses wearers see the whole view. The 10x gives up a lot of that: a 341 ft field, 8.2 ft close focus that owners call too long for most butterfly work, and 15.2mm of eye relief that sends glasses wearers hunting for the full field. Its 4.2mm exit pupil against 5.25mm matters too, because the line's low-light performance is already disputed, with one test lab finding detail fading at dusk, and 10x owners expect that fade to arrive sooner.
What the 10x42 buys is reach. Owners pick it for hawk watches, shorebirds and open-country hunting, and its field is wide enough for a 10x that it doesn't feel like looking through a straw. Owners of both share the same small gripes: a plastic focus ring and diopter, and no thumb indents. For woods, feeders and anyone in glasses, the 8x42 is clearly the better binocular, and it is the safer first pair for nearly everyone else too.
Athlon Midas G2 UHD 8x42
The default for woodland and backyard birders and for glasses wearers: a wider view, closer focus and more eye relief for $12 less.
Athlon Midas G2 UHD 10x42
Worth it for hawk watching, shorebirds and open-country hunting, if you don't wear glasses and want the locking diopter.
| Spec | Athlon Midas G2 UHD 8x42 | Athlon Midas G2 UHD 10x42 |
|---|---|---|
| Approx. price | ~$375 | ~$387 |
| Use case | Birding | Birding |
| Magnification | 8x | 10x |
| Objective | 42mm | 42mm |
| Exit pupil | 5.25mm | 4.2mm |
| Field of view | 426 ft @ 1000 yds | 341 ft @ 1000 yds |
| Eye relief | 17.2mm | 15.2mm |
| Close focus | 6.5 ft | 8.2 ft |
| Prism | Roof | Roof |
| Glass | UHD | UHD |
| Coating | Fully Multi-Coated | Fully Multi-Coated |
| Weight | 23.3 oz | 23.3 oz |
| Dimensions | 5.7 x 5.2 in | 5.5 x 5.0 in |
| Warranty | Lifetime | Lifetime |
Feature comparison
Athlon Midas G2 UHD 8x42
- ✓ED Glass
- ✓Phase-Corrected
- ✓Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✓Magnesium Body
- ✗Locking Diopter
Athlon Midas G2 UHD 10x42
- ✓ED Glass
- ✓Phase-Corrected
- ✓Dielectric Coating
- ✓Waterproof
- ✓Fogproof
- ✗Image Stabilized
- ✓Tripod Adaptable
- ✓Magnesium Body
- ✓Locking Diopter
What birders say
Athlon Midas G2 UHD 8x42
- ✓Cornell's All About Birds testers found a very bright image with great contrast that stays sharp all the way from edge to edge
- ✓Massive 426-foot field of view — one of the widest of any 8x42 at any price, and a genuine advantage for tracking warblers and birds in flight
- ✓Resolves fine plumage detail: testers picked out yellow bellies, white undertails, and wing spangles on waxwings without strain
- ✓Well-balanced in hand with a solid-but-not-heavy feel, and rubber armor that's grippy without being sticky
- ✓Focus wheel rolls easily with even resistance through its whole travel — a step up in feel from the Argos line
- ✓Magnesium chassis with argon purging, ED glass, and dielectric phase-corrected prisms — a spec sheet that matches $600+ binoculars
- ✓Forum consensus calls it 'top of the heap' in most sub-$400 comparison tests and excellent value for the money
- ✓Athlon's unconditional lifetime warranty, transferable and no-receipt, backs it up
- ✗One major test lab found low-light performance underwhelming — detail fades into dark silhouettes at dawn, dusk, and on heavily overcast days
- ✗The same testers felt the image gets a bit flatter toward the extreme edges despite the wide field
- ✗No thumb indents or sculpted grip aids that several similarly priced competitors include
- ✗Focus ring and diopter adjuster are plastic where some rivals at this price use metal
- ✗Heavier than spec suggests — one lab measured nearly 26 ounces with accessories
- ✗Diopter is non-locking on the 8x42, easy to bump out of adjustment
- ✗Reviewer opinions genuinely split: one prominent test recommended the Vortex Diamondback HD over it at similar money
- ✗Street price swings a lot around the $330-375 MSRP, so it's easy to overpay if you don't wait for a sale
Athlon Midas G2 UHD 10x42
- ✓341-foot field of view is exceptionally wide for a 10x42 — wider than many competitors' 8x models feel, which takes the sting out of choosing 10x
- ✓Same ED glass, dielectric-coated phase-corrected prisms, and magnesium chassis that earn the Midas line 'top of the heap' status in sub-$400 comparisons
- ✓8.2-foot close focus is typical for a 10x42 — fine for feeder birds, too long for most butterfly work
- ✓Locking diopter on this configuration, fixing the bump-prone adjuster owners flag on the 8x42
- ✓Bright, high-contrast image with fringing control that owners say rivals binoculars costing twice as much
- ✓Focus wheel runs with the same smooth, even resistance praised across the Midas G2 line
- ✓Well-balanced magnesium body under 24 ounces — light enough for all-day birding at 10x
- ✓Unconditional transferable lifetime warranty with a solid claims reputation
- ✗15.2mm eye relief is workable but noticeably tighter than the 8x42's — eyeglass wearers report having to hunt for the full field
- ✗4.2mm exit pupil compounds the line's disputed low-light performance; the dusk fade one test lab found will show up sooner at 10x
- ✗10x magnification amplifies hand-shake, and the wide field can't fully compensate for a jittery image
- ✗Focus ring and diopter collar are plastic where some similarly priced rivals use metal
- ✗No thumb indents or grip sculpting — the barrel is smooth and some hands want more purchase
- ✗Measured weight with accessories creeps past the printed spec
- ✗Street price swings between roughly $300 and $375, and at the top of that range the value case weakens against sale-priced Vipers
- ✗Reviewer opinions on the Midas line split — one major test recommended the Vortex Diamondback HD instead at similar money
Athlon Midas G2 UHD 8x42 vs Athlon Midas G2 UHD 10x42: common questions
Should a first-time birder choose the Midas G2 UHD 8x42 or the 10x42?▾
Owners of both steer woodland and feeder birders to the 8x42. Its 426 ft field makes birds easier to find, its 6.5 ft close focus covers butterflies, and its eye relief is friendlier. The 10x42 makes more sense once you know you mostly watch distant subjects.
Does the Midas G2 UHD 8x42 have a locking diopter like the 10x42?▾
No. The 8x42's diopter is non-locking, and owners say it is easy to bump out of adjustment. The 10x42 has a locking diopter, which its owners describe as fixing that complaint for good.